When does a bishop put on small and great omophorions. For me they look they choose them randomly.

There are different traditions in different parts. As a rule Great Omophorion is worn when the Omophorion does not need to be taken on and off. Example: When the bishop vests for Liturgy he would put on the Great Omophorion since it will not come off until the reading from the Epistle, then the Small Omophorion is used for simplicity sake for the rest of the service.

As always with Bishops there are exceptions. You will often times see Bishop of Greek heritage from a certain tradition that will wear the Great Omophorion for the entire service when they are ordaining. Some Bishops from the Russian tradition will wear the Great Omophorion over the Mandyia for certain celebrations.

The thing to remember is the Small Omophorion originally was just the Great Omophorion folded in half. It can still work that way if you have a Greek tailored Great Omophorion but, the Russian tailored ones make it hard to do.

I saw this thread and didn't know to answer, but we had a hierarchical visit this Sunday and I served, so I think I can better answer. This comes from an OCA parish:

The bishop vested with the great omophor at the beginning of the service, and it was removed once he went to the High Place for the Epistle and Gospel reading. He was vested in the small omophor after his homily during the litany of the catechumens. It was removed again after the consecration of the Gifts at the end of the epiclesis.

I don't believe he wore it again for the rest of the service, though there are photos after the Liturgy (we had some gramotas and tonsurings, so they got photos with the bishop) and he's wearing the small omophor again. I don't recall when he put it back on, though. It might've been during the communing of the faithful, since he wasn't communing them (and I wasn't in the altar, so I would've missed it).

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"Hades is not a place, no, but a state of the soul. It begins here on earth. Just so, paradise begins in the soul of a man here in the earthly life. Here we already have contact with the divine..." -St. John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, Homily On the Sunday of Orthodoxy

What is the minimal liturgical garment for the bishop:a) omophorionb) epitrachelionc) both

?

I believe both. I've seen a non-serving bishop getting vested to receive the Eucharist, and he wore cuffs, stole and omophor.

« Last Edit: February 15, 2012, 05:45:29 PM by Benjamin the Red »

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"Hades is not a place, no, but a state of the soul. It begins here on earth. Just so, paradise begins in the soul of a man here in the earthly life. Here we already have contact with the divine..." -St. John, Wonderworker of Shanghai and San Francisco, Homily On the Sunday of Orthodoxy

I don't believe he wore it again for the rest of the service, though there are photos after the Liturgy (we had some gramotas and tonsurings, so they got photos with the bishop) and he's wearing the small omophor again. I don't recall when he put it back on, though. It might've been during the communing of the faithful, since he wasn't communing them (and I wasn't in the altar, so I would've missed it).

For the Divine Liturgy, the general Russian Orthodox custom (from memory, so please forgive any errors) is:

Great omophor on at the vesting of the bishop.

Off at the Trisagion when the bishop ascends the High Place.

Processed before the people at the "Alleluia", then returned to the altar and not used again.

Small omophor on at the Cherubic hymn. (It is held aloft as a bridge by two deacons just inside the Holy Doors when the deacon goes to the portal to wash his hands. On his way back into the altar, as he passes under the omophor, the deacons lower it onto his shoulders and fasten it in place.)

Off again after the bishop finishes the commemorations, immediately prior to the Great Entrance, and carried at the head of the procession with the mitre. (If there is to be an ordination of a priest after the Great Entrance, the bishops keeps the omophor on until he blesses the people with the trikiri and dikiri after the ordination.)

On again during the "Holy, Holy, Holy", when the bishop finishes the preface to the Anaphora.

Off again after the Epiklesis.

On again after the Lord's Prayer. The bishop goes to the solea to bless the people. The subdeacons hold the small omophor as a bridge and lower it onto the bishop's shoulders as he re-enters the altar.

It remains on until the bishop is divested after the Liturgy.

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'There is nothing upon earth holier, higher, grander, more solemn, more life-giving than the Liturgy. The church, at this particular time, becomes an earthly heaven; those who officiate represent Christ Himself, the angels, the cherubim, seraphim and apostles.' - St John of Kronstadt

'There is nothing upon earth holier, higher, grander, more solemn, more life-giving than the Liturgy. The church, at this particular time, becomes an earthly heaven; those who officiate represent Christ Himself, the angels, the cherubim, seraphim and apostles.' - St John of Kronstadt

When there are multiple Bishops present what are the rules that some have the great ones and some have the small ones?

If this is done in some places I can only imagine that it is a concession to ease and convenience. Perhaps there is insufficient space/subdeacons/servers to tend to the changes in vesture of all of the bishops.

In my experience, bishops concelebrating the Liturgy all vest in the same way throughout, right down to each one having the small omophor lowered onto his shoulders after washing his hands prior to the Great Entrance. Indeed all of the great omophors are removed at the Trisagion and all are carried before the people at the Alleluia.

M

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'There is nothing upon earth holier, higher, grander, more solemn, more life-giving than the Liturgy. The church, at this particular time, becomes an earthly heaven; those who officiate represent Christ Himself, the angels, the cherubim, seraphim and apostles.' - St John of Kronstadt

When there are multiple Bishops present what are the rules that some have the great ones and some have the small ones?

If this is done in some places I can only imagine that it is a concession to ease and convenience. Perhaps there is insufficient space/subdeacons/servers to tend to the changes in vesture of all of the bishops.